I loved writing this chapter! I actually had something different planned for this story, but for some reason I felt that this was the better way to go! Please rate and review if you have spare time!
Disclaimer: I do not own Fable or any of its characters, Lionhead Studios does. Jet and her family belong to me.
Chapter 4: News
Mystic noises echoed through the rocky halls. A communication between the creatures that were not of this world. Its heavy armor clanked loudly as the canine looking bipedal strolled down the hallway. Papyrus crinkled and bent with the slight wind created with walking, held in one hand and a peppermint candy cane staff in the other. The halls were long, damp, and never friendly. Very few torches lit the way and the only ones who dared this far were the minions that transported messages and served as guards for their master. This one unfortunate one had the 'blessing' of delivering an…unwanted piece of news. One that would not make its master happy. A door loomed, closing in with every step it took. When the monster reached its destination, it contemplated turning around and running for its life, but a dark firm voice rumbled from behind the metal laden wooden door.
"Enter." In complete fear, the creature braced itself for a horrible ending. It hoped that its master would just strike it down with one blow and end its misery. The monster located its master standing at a large wide bookshelf on the right wing of his room. It strolled over, cautiously handing over the paper. Without peeling his eyes from his book, the man used his dominant hand and took the sheet. Now he tore his golden eyes away from the leather bound paper to read the message. The atmosphere became deathly quiet. Something the little non-human thing did not appreciate. This either meant his master was contemplating, still processing what he was reading, or infuriated with the news. Though, it knew. It knew that the latter of the two truths was what his master stayed quiet about.
Using his book filled hand; he shut the object of knowledge and calmly placed it back on the shelf while turning to his desk. He placed the memo on the surface of a well sanded oak desk, keeping his back to his minion. When the sanguine cloaked male turned ever so slightly to the monster he brought to this world, it clearly flinched. Invisible to the world, a slight smirk graced his features.
"Come." Obediantly, it came to him, cautious and ready to flee if necessary. Surprisingly the highly tempered man did not strike down his minion, but rather motioned with his gleaming eyes towards the message. "Do you know what it says?" The creature nodded yes. "And you still brought it to me." He said it more of a statement rather than a question. Now the little minion began to relax. Things were taking a turn that had an unknown destination.
His hand reached below the surface of his desk and pulled open a drawer, revealing a single sheet of paper and some quills. He pulled only the sheet and laid it on the desk. The dominating man motion for his mindless worker to read it. As 'told' it did and looked to its master. A slight muffled tap came from a metal clawed finger tapping a mask. His mask. Lightly decorated with gold, red, and purple. Two more masks dangled on his left hip. The last things to remind him of a horrid start of a despicable bloodline. His monster nodded, letting its master know what he was up to.
"Then go. Gather the others and we shall make our appearance." In a hurry to please him, the candy cane staff wielding creature rushed off, leaving the masked man standing there, reading and rereading the note.
Jet tried not to flinch under the tugging of the stitches. Finally the last of them were coming out. She could go back out tonight. Amber finally finished with taking out her daughter's stitching. The woman warned her daughter not to just go out and do something stupid, reopening the wounds. Jet stopped and watched her mother carefully. Unfortunately, her mother's face did not change. She nodded, soothing her mother, if it was a little. A tired sigh came from the experienced woman. Despite anything and everything, her daughter would more than likely end up doing something that she would regret. Jet, she realized, had become extremely independent. She was more than ready to live out there on her own, despite the fact she just healed from an inexperienced battle.
Said young woman darted outside, inhaling early afternoon air. It felt good to be out and first thing she did was to check her appearance. Leaning over a puddle, she took note that a few faint red dots still stretched across her cheek. It wasn't too noticeable. Her last stitches were covered by her blouse, and she wore pants instead of a skirt. Everything was a-go. She went about the town and with each person, Jet was questioned where she had been the past week. In a truthful statement, she informed each person that she had to be bed ridden for health reasons. Everyone would say that they were thankful that she was healthy again.
The young female spent the rest of the day roaming about the village, constantly moving, keeping herself busy. When she passed by the route that led to the village gates, she paused and remembered what she promised yesterday. Glancing around, no one had their nose in her business and she trotted down the trail. She reached the last set of fencing and jumped the wood. A soft thud sounded and her green eyes looked about. It didn't seem that those two were here, that is until she recognized a small girls voice. It sounded worried and slightly scared.
"Wait…there's something wrong." A slight pause ensued before a man shrieked, "BANDITS!" Right then, Jet saw the apparitions. The girl, her younger male companion, both sharply turning their heads in the direction of the voice, and suddenly another man came running from the gates out of nowhere. He desperately tried to get away, only to be shot in the back by an arrow, falling right at the feet of the boy.
"It's really happening….They're here! You've got to hide!" The female zipped off whilst the boy hopped over the fence, landing next to her, peeking through the slats of the fence. He watched in horror as a mob of bandits ran through, one cutting down a woman standing there helplessly. Jet felt the goose bumps rise and sending shivers down her body. The whole gang of murderers continued on to the village. She felt sorry for the kid, as he stayed low, watching the people he knew and cared for, slaughtered.
In a strong urge, Jet felt the need to follow the bandits to the village. With a burst of adrenaline, she cleared the fence and darted down the dirt path back to her home. The ghosts like images had faded into nothing and all she could see was reality. Though the screaming and burning still echoed around her. What did she just witness…? Was that the raid of Oakvale? Who were those two kids? She wanted answers. Jet reached the village, only to find armored canine looking creatures herding people back into their homes. And they were none too friendly.
Children were jabbed in the back and whacked on the head and the mothers that tried protecting their progeny were just as badly reprimanded. Things began to spin and Jet had a hard time thinking. Instead, her feet did what they needed to do. Darting between groups and behind houses, she arrived back home, slightly panting. She opened the door to find her family crowded into the main room. The elder sibling noticed her younger family curled up in the laps of her parents, terrified of something out of her sight. Her parents stayed stoic. She cautiously stepped forward and turned to her right, finding a half cloaked man.
About half of his attire consisted of metal. His arms and legs were covered in dirty grey metal. It was obvious he had been in battle before. A loose strapped sanguine cloak covered his upper body. Though it seemed through his battles, the cloth had be shredded. What got her attention was the fact that his face was really covered. Not only his cloak hood shadowed a good portion of his face, but a mask also laid there. She now felt like prey. And he hadn't even looked at her. Jet would love to have her blade right next to her now.
Ever since she entered her house, the masked man had his attention turned towards her family. When he did turn to her, she froze. Her blood stopped cold and the hairs on her neck creep up from their rest. Only his eyes turned to her! The man didn't move his head, his body, but merely twitched his eyes in her direction. It took everything of her not to shiver. Even just looking at his eyes, Jet could tell he wasn't just human. There were no whites in his eyes, more rather a blood red, and not one person could have gold eyes.
She blinked. He scared – no – petrified her. Never, not once, had she ever felt like this! Mighty Avo, what was he?
"Welcome home child. Sit." His voice didn't help her either. Dark, cold, alluring. Wait…did she really just think that? She needed to stay focused, and so she obeyed his command. Despite the fact she hated being referred to as a child, Jet didn't need any confrontation. Vinni and Jack crawled over to her when she placed her rear on the arm of the couch. She wondered why they would do that. Was the fact that she was the only one in the village to wield a sword being the reason? The elder girl didn't know or quite understand, but held her brother and sister close.
Their guest had his back turned, looking over the bookshelves, seeing the pictures artists had done for the family of family portraits. His silence unnerved Jet. What was he scrutinizing? The paintings? He struck Jet as one to pass off such trivial needs. Not many emotions seemed to course through him, and frankly, the young 'hero' felt that fury emanated from him.
His hand reached for a smaller painting, one of her younger brother. An eerie feeling crept across the room. He turned to them, painting still in hand, gazing at it with concentration, before looking up with such a dark look that Jet felt like crawling under a rock right now.
"I must say, I am rather disappointed in this village after reading a message sent to me. But Amber, tell me, did you keep your end of the bargain?"